Court upholds $319M verdict in Millionaire' case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a $319 million verdict over profits from the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and has rejected a request by Walt Disney Co. for a new trial.

A jury decided in 2010 that Disney hid the show’s profits from its creators, London-based Celador International.

The ruling Monday by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found no issues with the verdict. It also determined there were no issues with the judge’s rulings in the case.

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Celador Chairman Paul Smith praised the ruling in a statement. Disney did not immediately comment.

Celador filed the lawsuit in 2004, and the judgment was entered after a trial that featured testimony from top Disney executives.